Eleanor Milner
Media Assistant
February 2, 2023
You don’t need a degree in listening to lend an ear.
What is it?
Time to Talk Day 2023 is on Thursday 2nd February, run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness and in partnership with the Co-Op. The day is all about bringing people and communities together to discuss mental health. Find out more here.
Why is Time to Talk Day so Important?
- 1 in 4 of us experience a mental health problem
- Talking helps create supportive communities which empower more of us to seek help when we need it
- Opening up conversations about mental health we can support ourselves and others
How do I Take Part?
- Check in with a neighbor, family member, colleague or friend
- Pop the official Time to Talk posters up around communities (these can be found here)
- Host a coffee morning
- Send a text to someone you care about
- Ask a friend to take a walk
- Start the conversation online with hashtag #TimetoTalk
1. Ask questions and listen
Asking questions can help give the person space to express how they feel, while helping you understand what they are experiencing too. Asking questions that are open and not leading or judgmental such as ‘how does that affect you’ or ‘what does it feel like’ can help support them and help the conversation.
2. Time and place
Simple things such as talking side by side rather than face to face could help the person feel more comfortable. If you choose to talk in person, it might help doing something else while you chat. For example, have a chat while walking, cooking or over lunch.
3. Don’t Try and Fix it
It is hard to hear someone is going through a difficult time, the urge to want to fix the situation is understandable. However, learning to manage or recover from a mental health problem can be a long journey and they have likely already considered numerous tools and strategies. Sometimes listening to their problem is enough; talking is powerful, letting them get their thoughts and feelings out on the table can help lift a weight from their shoulders. Unless they specifically ask for advice, try just listening to what they have to say.
4. Treat them the same
When someone has a mental health problem, they are still the same person. They might be reluctant to share their experience because they don’t want to be treated differently. If you want to support them, do the things you normally do without changing your behaviour.
5. Be patient
No matter how much you want to help someone, not everyone will feel ready to talk about what they are going through. This is ok, the fact you have tried and expressed concern could be enough to make them more comfortable. Likewise, making sure they know this is a safe space to talk about their experiences could make it easier for them to open up in the future.
How we are getting involved at DTP
One way we encourage conversations is through our mental health first aiders within our teams; individuals who our employees feel comfortable approaching who are also mental first aid trained. We also have an online group open to all DTP stakeholders, specifically to share resources or start discussions around mental wellbeing.
To learn how you can help and take part in Time to Talk, visit their website!
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SOLVING IT TOGETHER
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SOLUTIONS
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AS A SERVICE
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SECTORS
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